Key container



J. KURLIAN KEY CONTAINER Jan. 10, 1956 Filed May 28, 1952 INVENTOR KURLIAN JOSEPH ATTORNEY United States Patent O KEY CONTAINER Joseph Kurlian, Philadelphia, Pa. Application May 28, 1952, Serial No. 290,539

2 Claims. (Cl. 70-456) This invention relates to a key container.

One object of this device is to produce a container that is convenient to use, assisting in, instead of retarding the keys manipulation.

Further objects are to provide such a device that is easy to manufacture, not requiring the use of essential materials, and one preventing contact of the keys, thus removmg noise.

These and other objects are secured by the means shown in the accompanying drawings, set forth in the following specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a front view, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a back view.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an end view, looking from the smaller end.

The case 1 is of rectangular form when viewed from either front or rear, but of trapeziforrn cross section. A back portion 2 has similar side walls 3. It will best be seen from the dotted lines in Fig. 1 that this back portion 2 has a tapered cross section increasing in thickness from the end inwardly, and having at the end a tapered edge 4. From this back extend a series of parallel ribs 5 forming between them key receiving pockets 6. Four such pockets are illustrated, but the number is a matter of choice. Fig. 2 shows, partly in section, a key occupying one of these pockets.

Each of these keys has in its head the usual opening 8 which is generally circular. Each side wall 3 and rib 5 has near its upper end a partially circular opening 9 directly communicating with a lateral slot 10 extending to the free back edge of either the wall or rib. Through the holes 8 in the heads of the keys 7 and the openings 9 of the side walls 3 and ribs 5 passes the shank 11 of a pin. This pin has heads 12 and 13 respectively. Of these the head 12 is too large to enter any aperture but engages the side wall 3 against which it abuts. The head 13 is of such size that it can pass through the openings 8 in the heads of the keys 7 but is large enough to engage around the opening 9 in its side wall 3, as best shown in Fig. 2.

The ribs 5 and side walls 3 are provided with cutouts 14 to facilitate access to the keys when housed in their pockets as best shown by Fig. 1. These pockets 6 are of such width and shape as to snugly receive the keys. Due to the construction of the case and the slight variations in the thickness of keys, the case is allowed to expand as the dotted lines in Fig. 2 show, thus, deliberately causing a slight misalignment of the pockets 6 from the larger end to the smaller end. This feature insures a mild tension and allows for wear. To facilitate insertion of the keys the ribs 5 have rounded edges lS as best shown by Figs. 4 and 5. j

The operation is as follows. The small head 13 and shank 11 of the pin is passed through openings 8 in the desired number of keys. These are then held in the 2,729,955 Patented Jan. 10, 1956 position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and each key brought into alignment with its respective pocket, and the shank 11 of the pin into alignment with the slots 10 as shown in Fig. 1. By a movement from right to left the shank of the pin may be passed along these lateral slots 10 until it enters the circular openings 9 of the side walls and ribs. The keys are then turned from the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 to that indicated by full lines. The heads 12 and 13 prevent direct withdrawal of the pin, and any tendency for it unassisted to enter the slots 10 is overcome by the snug engagement in their pockets 6 of all the keys 5 except the one in use.

It is evident that the fingers engaging any key through the access openings 14 may turn it out of its pocket as one opens a pocket knife. The key may then be made to extend at right angles from either its back or front (the latter position being shown by Fig. l), or it may be made to project from the end of the case 1. In any event the case may be used as a handle to manipulate the key. The key heads are allowed to extend from the front and back of the case, Fig. 1, to allow for better control when inserting key into a lock, and to provide an alternate means of selecting the desired key (gloved hand) by simply turning the key head with the thumb and forefinger.

While the device has been shown and the structure described in detail, it is obvious that this invention is not to be considered as being limited to the exact form disclosed, and that changes in detail and construction may be made therein within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

l. A key container comprising an integral elongated block having an exterior outline which is rectangular in front, end and rear views and trapeziform in side view, with one end of said block substantially larger than the other end, said block having a plurality of parallel slots extending entirely through the large end portion and partly through the small end portion defining a plurality of slightly flexible parallel walls and providing a plurality of parallel key receiving pockets, each of said parallel walls having a slot extending laterally from the rear of the block adjacent the larger end and terminating in a slightly enlarged aperture spaced from the front of the block, said slots and apertures being in alignment, and a pivot pin adapted to extend through key head apertures having its shank diameter of a size to travel snugly through said lateral aligned slots to said slightly enlarged apertures for pivotally mounting keys within said key receiving pockets, said pin having headed ends of a diameter larger than said slightly enlarged apertures, at least one of said headed ends being of a diameter to pass through apertures in key heads, whereby keys, one for each pocket, may be mounted on said pivot pin and said pin passed through said laterally extending aligned slots to said aligned slightly enlarged apertures and the keys pivoted into said key receiving pockets in snug engagement with said parallel walls and individually pivoted from said key pockets for individual use.

2. A key container comprising an integral elongated block having an exterior outline which is rectangular in front, end and rear views and trapezit'orm in side view, with one end of said block substantially larger than the other end, said block having a plurality of parallel slots extending entirely through the large end portion and partly through the small end portion defining a plurality of slightly flexible parallel walls and providing a plurality of parallel key receiving pockets, each of said parallel walls having a slot extending laterally from the rear of the block adjacent the larger end and terminating in a slightly enlarged aperture spaced from the front of the block, said slots and apertures being in alignment,

and a pivot pin adapted to extend through key head aper tures having its shank diameter of a size to travel snugly through said lateral aligned slots to said slightly enlarged apertures for pivotally' inotinting keys within said keyreceiving pockets, said pin having'head'ecl ends of a diameter larger than said slightly enlarged apertures, at least one of said headed ends being of a diameter to pass through apertures in keyheads, said block also having a finger receiving notch openin g'to' the front adjacent the smaller end, whereby keys, one for each pocket, may be mounted on said pivot and said pin passed through said laterally extending aligned slots to said aligned slightly enlarged apertures and the keys pivoted into said key receivingpockets in snug engagement with said parallel walls and individually pivoted from said key 4 pockets for use by a finger extending into said finger receiving notch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,573,723 Long Feb. 16, 1926 1,965,472 Shook July 3, 1934 2,198,110 Fischer 1 Apr. 23, 1940 2,295,123 Mudrich Sept. 8, 1942 2,493,330 Zimmerman Jan. 3, 1950 2,534,151 Valentine Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 508,859 Great Britain July 6, 1939 

